The Washington critic., 1887-05-28

are good deal different from what
they be ON summer day, let me tell
you. They loom up twice rs high,
with their snow. covered sides, and
seem like big, glum giants standing
guard over the valley. The silence and
desolation awe you, and 1t didn't seem
right TO 60 shrieking and steaming
along the way we did that night. The
storm had let loose oil the evil spirits
in the air, and the wind swept down
with force that coulG 1e heard above
the noise of the train. 1t whlstled and
yelled at the cab window, and the great
trees rocked and seemed to hold out
their long arms in warning. Either
the wind and the night or something
else had been depressing me all the
way, and as we got fairly among the
mountains l felt an awful weight of
anxiety on my mind. left nay post
In minute and looked anxiously over
the machine, wondering If there could
be anything the matter with her,
though she was as stanch and true al
ways as the sun. All at once. under
the gloom of the majestic mountain
sides, my wife's words came back:
"'Be careful at the Curve Mountain
cut
go, nonsensep 7 says l. I'm fool.
If there was anything wrong the up
train two hours ago would have found
1t out and signaled u.s.
"But in spite of me, that BE careful
at the Curve Mountain cut, kept ring
ing In my ears.
81 amt naturally superstitious, and
r IfJrtt knnu, xr,hof 10 ,,o6o ~ vnxyca1f
And TO prove that / wasn't put on
all the steam. and the way we whizaed
along was'a caution" ,..l.-.
"a tall white birch on the spur Of
the mountain was landmark that
showed the curve cut. I determined to
put her through the cut at full speed,
and put my hand on the throttle to pull
open the valve whenAas true as I'm a
living NANNY wife's voice whispered
in my ear: Not that one, Jim-the
brakeF
at startled me SO did not know
what was doing. And before knew
1t had opened tho Westinghouse for
all she was worth. The train came to
q stand still, and before Dan (he was
firing for me them could ask question
l had jumped off the cab and was out
on the track.
"Not a thing was out of place; every
rail secure, and the cut was oil right as
far as could see.
Idiots says / to myself. 80
much for nonsense; but 1t will cost you
your place. -...
1.-The conductor and brakeman had
come out to see what was the matter,
| and, more to avoid meeting them and
| owning my silly fears than anything
| else, / walked on little.
"Just round the curve was a great
tree trunk, blown across the track.
Going nearer, saw 1t wasn't a tree at
oil, but stick Of timber, and 1t was
fastened down to the railsl
| "If I'd rushed out as / meant to we
should have been thrown down preci-
pice hundreds Of feet among the
rocks.
~ tell you, my hair stood on end for
q minute.
"'What's upH' says the conductor,
coming up with the other boys.
Nothing but that, says !, pointing
to the track. In two minutes we
would every one of us been down
there on the rocks-that is, our bodies
would. Ireckon didn't pull her ur
any too quick
"Well, a more grateful set Of mer
than them same pompous, big Bos
tonians were you never saw. And this
watch, an elegant gold one-too good
for me-they gave me. A peep into
the jaws of death puts rich and poor or
the same level.
"They wouldn't let me leave theii
party, but took me on to Montreal and
Quebec with them, and such q time o.